1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a mobile radio communication network and more particularly, to a caller information providing apparatus and a caller information transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network. In particular, the present invention relates to a caller information providing apparatus and a caller information transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network which transmits the caller information simultaneously when a telephone call is transmitted to a mobile terminal.
2. Description of the Related Art
A user at a terminal of a receiver mobile station belonging to a telephone communication network sometimes wishes to know who is calling before receiving the call. To meet such demand, a caller line identification (CLID) service has been commercialized to provide the telephone number and name of callers through a display installed in the receiver mobile station terminal when a call comes in from an originating mobile terminal of a fixed network such as a public switching network (PSTN). However, the CLID service has been provided only in fixed networks based on the public switching network, and could not be provided in a mobile radio communication network due to technical problems.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to solve at least the problems and disadvantages of the related art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a caller information providing apparatus and a caller information transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a caller information providing apparatus and transmitting method which can transmit picture information of a caller when transmitting a call to a mobile terminal in the mobile radio communication network.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a caller information providing apparatus and transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network which enables an operating center of a communication service provider or terminal subscription agency to prepare, register, and manage a picture of mobile terminal users, so that the picture can be transmitted to mobile terminals if required.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a caller information providing apparatus and transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network which can transmit caller information wherein picture information, audio information, and character information of callers are selectively combined when a call is transmitted to a mobile terminal in a caller information system.
A still further object of the present invention to provide a mobile terminal which can receive caller information wherein picture information, audio information, and character information of the caller are selectively combined when a mobile terminal receives a call in a caller information system.
Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
To achieve the objects and in accordance with the purposes of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a caller information providing apparatus in a mobile radio communication network comprises a receiver mobile terminal with a display device for displaying picture information; a base station for processing originating and terminating call signals of mobile terminals and providing a radio channel for transmitting picture information to a receiver mobile terminal; a mobile switching center for processing the originating and terminating call signals from the base station and transmitting the picture information to the receiver mobile terminal; a picture service controller for storing the picture information and providing the picture information to the mobile switching center; and a communication service provider operating center for registering users and performing a picture information service control.
According to the present invention, the picture information represents a user characteristic. The picture information may be information which a user desires to transmit. The picture information may also be information which is registered by users in the picture service controller through the communication service provider operating center. Here, a user may register the picture information using a picture recognition device or a camera. The user generates the picture information using an input device and registers the generated picture information. Finally, the picture information may be information provided by the communication service provider operating center.
The picture service controller comprises a data transmitting/receiving unit for performing data communication with the communication service provider operating center or the mobile switching center; an originating identifier detecting unit for detecting an identifier of a specified mobile terminal from an output signal of the data transmitting/receiving unit; a control unit for controlling storage of the picture signal provided from the data transmitting/receiving unit and outputting the stored picture information; and a caller information generating unit for providing the picture information to the data transmitting/receiving unit under the control of the control unit.
The picture service controller further comprises an identifier managing unit for managing the identifier of the respective mobile terminal in the form of a database under the control of the control unit, and a picture memory for storing the picture information or outputting the stored picture information under the control of the control unit.
Particularly, the picture memory may store the picture information which is classified for each caller under the control of the control unit. The picture memory may also store the picture information which is classified for each user registered in the communication service provider operating center under the it control of the control unit.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a caller information providing apparatus in a mobile radio communication network comprises a mobile terminal with a display device for displaying picture information and/or character information and a speaker for outputting audio information; a base station for processing originating and terminating call signals of the mobile terminal and providing a radio channel for enabling selective transmission of picture information, character information, or audio information to the mobile terminal; a mobile switching center for processing originating and terminating call signals output from the base station and transmitting to a mobile terminal caller information wherein the picture information, the audio information, and the character information are selectively combined; a picture service controller for storing caller information and providing the caller information to the mobile switching center; and a communication service provider operating center for registering users and performing a caller information service control.
The caller information is information which represents a caller characteristic, and is composed of a combination of at lease one of the picture information, the character information, and the audio information.
A picture information transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network according to the present invention comprises requesting from a mobile switching center to a picture service controller a search and transmission of a picture information if a mobile terminal among a plurality of mobile terminals requests a call connection to an terminating mobile terminal; transmitting from the picture service controller the information corresponding to a search request to the mobile switching center; and transmitting from the mobile switching center the picture information to the terminating mobile terminal along with a paging signal of the mobile terminal.
The method according to the present invention may further comprise selecting by a mobile terminal user whether to execute the picture information transmitting method.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a picture information transmitting method in a mobile radio communication network comprises generating a picture information of a specified user, registering the picture information in a picture service controller, and transmitting the registered picture information to a specified mobile terminal.
Here, the picture information may be generated using a picture recognition device or a camera. The picture information may also be generated using other input devices. Moreover, the generated picture information may be registered along with a corresponding mobile terminal identifier.
In still another embodiment of the present invention, a mobile terminal comprises a caller identifier detecting unit for receiving caller information transmitted through a radio channel and separating the caller information into picture information, character information, and audio information; a signal processing unit for processing the information separated by the caller identifier detecting unit; a control unit for controlling storage and output of the information output from the signal processing unit; a memory for storing the information output from the signal processing unit under the control of the control unit; and a display unit for displaying the information output from the signal processing unit under the control of the control unit.
According to the present invention as described above, if a terminating mobile terminal receives a call signal in a mobile radio communication network, a caller information may be provided in a selective combination of the picture information, audio information, and character information. Thus, a user of the terminating mobile terminal can easily identify who the caller is before receiving a call. Also, a picture, i.e. a face of the opposite party, which can be seen during a call may be useful and convenient to the user. Finally, if a user pages his/her own mobile terminal, the user can enjoy the user""s information such as the user""s picture, characters, and voice through the mobile terminal.